Troublesome diary
by White-tiger-lost-angel
Summary: SHikamaru is plagued by a diary he found in his clearing


Alright so this is long, but I couldnt seem to break it into chapters...

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Shikkamaru was wondering down the streets of Kahona, he was heading to his faviourite cloud watching spot, intending to stay there until the stars came out.

As he sat walked he winced at the ache in his head, Ino hit him around the head for calling her troublesome and it HURT. He frowned, she had seemed in a bad mood, but that could have been because she had to go on a mission, he shook his head and smiled when he reached the hillock that was his faviourite resting place.

Laying down he spotted a perfect cloud that reminded him of a kunai, he drifted away.

About an hour later he shifted uncomfortably, something was digging into his back and it was annoying. With a sigh he sat up "Troublesome...book?" he had been laying on a notebook

"Who'd leave a notebook out here?" he wondered out loud, he usually came here because no one else did and the thought that someone else used this clearing made him uncomfortable. Looking around he could see all the approaches toward the hillock. He carefully opened the book.

"Diary" was the first word. Shikamaru slammed the book shut. Reading diaries was not his thing. He lay back down but then sat back up glaring at the innocent looking book. He wanted to find out who had been coming to this spot. With a sigh he opened the book again.

Two hours later he felt another headache coming on. The diary belonged to a girl and it appeared she was a Sassuke fangirl, the first 4 pages were solely about him. "Great, my clearing has been used by a perverted idiot" he muttered he read on.

"I'm sick of Sassuke, he treats everyone so coldly, he's rude too and tries to cover it up by being hot" Shikkamaru snorted, so the girl had SOME sense "There are nicer guys out there, shit, speaking of which here comes one now, good job this hillocks easy to see people coming, I don't think he'd be happy to see me here"

Shikkamaru raised his eyebrow someone thought he was 'Nice'? he allowed himself a small grin and carried on reading, the girl was a good writer and Shikkamaru felt himself drawn into her life.

"28/11 He hates me, he doesnt even notice me! He probably thinks I'm just a Sassuke fangirl, I wish he could see that I do that to cover up how I feel, I mean how would he react?" Shikkamaru raised his eyebrow, apparently the guy she liked more than Sassuke was causing her grief, he laughed at the guys stupidity. "I bet I'd see through that"

"29/11 My grandmother died today" That was all there was on that page but Shikkamaru could feel the girls pain, he wracked his brains trying to think whose grandmother had died but his mind came up blank "Some genius" he muttered "I don't even know who's this is"

"1/1 I'm sorry I haven't written for so long, it's hard to live without her, grandmother was always there for me. My teamates don't even know shes gone, I, I can't tell them they wouldnt understand, they'd think I was doing it for attention and I can't stand for them to treat me that way. All they see is a loud stupid girl who cares more about her looks, they cant see the pain I'm in, if they did I doubt they'd care"

Shikkamaru actually felt tears at the corner of his eyes at that statement, why did this girl think her teammates didnt care about her? They would probably support her if she told them The next part made him raise his eyebrow.

"5/1 I came up to the clearing to think, I watched the clouds for a bit just like Shikkamaru, I want to see why he does it, but instead I just cried, I've never felt so alone, then I heard him coming and I had to run, I can't let him see me cry"

Why couldnt she let him see her cry? What made her think he was so cold hearted?

"8/1 i feel like such a stalker, Shikkamaru came up to the clearing today and I didnt notice, I only had time to slip up a tree, I hope he didnt see me...bah what am I talking about? I want him to notice me! I want to be more to him than 'troublesome' who am I kidding I'll never be anything more to him"

"Geeze you're depressing" Shikkamaru said "It's not as if you gave me a chance!" He said to the diary the next part interested him, and he read quickly "...I think hes in Love with Temari, a ninja from the sand" he almost choked "TEMARI?! we're just friends!" He shook his head, "Im having a conversation with a book" _you're just mad that the 'genius' couldnt work out that a girl liked him _"shut up"

He had read to the end now, and he sighed as he turned to notebook around, there was no names on the cover and not enough people were mentioned for him to deduce who it belonged too, he guessed the girl wouldn't like to know he had it.

Suddenly he had an idea, "I'll sneak up to the clearing every day to see if I can catch anyone" he grinned and lay down, he began to think about the book and the girl that liked him, he couldnt think who it was. Sassuke had too many fangirls for him to deduce who it was from that, so he tried to think how many people knew he wrote to temari...Sakura, Ino and Tenten "but to be fair those three are the biggest gossips in Kahona, so anyone could know"

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He snuck up to the clearing every day for a week but he never caught anyone. On the seventh day he found Ino looking around the clearing.

"Ino, what are you doing here?" he asked

"WHo? me? Im looking for your lazy ass"she snapped

Shikamaru rolled his eyes "Troublesome, why are you looking for me"

"um...we're going out later seeing as i just go back from my mission, Asuma said we should all meet up"

"Fine" he said laying on the grass. He heard Ino looking, walking aroun the grass and opened an eye. "INO what are you doing?"

"Uh!" she looked guilty "None of your buissness Shikamaru!"

"Fine, troublesome"

She growled and left the clearing.

Shikamaru sat up when she'd gone and brought out the book, he sat there staring at it when an idea came to him.

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"You want what young man?" The assistant asked over the counter.

Shikamaru was currently in the births and deaths registry in Kahona "I want to know if anyone died last year on the 29/11" he said

"I'm afraid births and death records are sealed except for close family and ANBU grade and above" with a sniff he dismissed Shikamaru

"Damn" The young ninja said to himself, looking at the outside he had an idea, but first he would need his friends

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"You want us to do WHAT?" Ino screeched

Chouji silently munched his chips, but his silence was an agreement with Ino's outburst

"Look its not that hard, we break in, we look at the file, we get out"

"But why do you want to look at the births abnd deaths records Shikka?" Ino asked frowning

Shikamaru scratched the back of his head "Well...theres this girl..."

The silence was complete, even Chouji stopped eating .

"W,what about Temari?" Ino asked quietly

"Everyone seems to think I have a thing with Temari!" Shikamaru said shaking his head "We're just friends, even this girl thought that!"

"So how will breaking into the registry help you with this girl" Chouji asked

"Because If I find out whoses grandmother died on the 29/11 I can find this girl and return her diary and see who it is!"

Ino stared at him "What?" he asked

"T, that is the most stupid thing I have ever heard you say Nara Shikamaru"

"Why are you stammering Ino?" Chouji asked

"It's the disbelief" she said "Shikka if she wanted to tell you, she would...or she might be waiting for the right time, and am I right in thinking you read her diary?"

"Ano...it was on the ground..." Shikamaru said knowing what was coming

BAM Ino slapped him "Shikamaru you shouldnt read peoples diaries!"

"How else was I supposed to know who it belonged too?" he said touching the red mark left on his cheek.

Ino shook her head looking genuinely upset "Unbelievable"

"Troublesome woman" Shikamaru said.

Then Ino did something Shikamaru had never witnessed. Rather than yelling at him Ino gave him a look so full of sadness that it made him feel weepy.

"I'm not going to help you" she said "I respect this girls privacy" and with that she jumped off the roof they were occupying and headed home.

"I think you really upset her" Chouji said to Shikamaru who was staring after Ino's retreating figure.

"I'll make it up to her" he replied

"You always say that" Chouji replied

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Late that night Shikamaru stood with a torch between his teeth reading a file. Chouji kept watch.

Shikamaru stared at the folder in disgust, then he realised something was wrong, the place was silent...Chouji wasnt munching his chips.

"Its a good job I found you Shikamaru Nara"Came a voice followed quickly by the strong smell of cigarettes

"Asuma-sensei?" he asked freezing

"Come with me. NOW" came the reply

"Hai" Shikamaru replied putting the folder back and shutting the door

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"...personal records NOT meant for you to see!" Asuma carried on at the two male ninja's

Ino suddenly slid in fully dressed "Ano sensei, sorry I'm...late?" she said looking at the group in confusion "You guys are here, on time?"

"heh Senseis been shouting at us for three hours" Chouji replied devoid of his chips for punishment

"You actually went on with it?" Ino asked in horror

Asuma rounded on her "YOU KNEW!?"

Ino shrank back "I, I..."

"She told us not to do it Asuma-sensei" Shikamaru broke in in his lazy voice "Ino had nothing to do with it"

Asuma lit another cigarette, he had been chain smoking for about an hour, he rubbed his head "Get out of my sight, all of you, no training today"

When they were outside Ino turned to them "So...did you find out?"

Shikamaru rolled his eyes "Troublesome..No one died in Kahona on the 29/11 last year"

"I know..." Ino slapped her hand over her mouth and looked away

"YOU KNEW??" Shikamaru yelled "You KNEW and you didnt tell us?" he was gripping Ino's arms now, she looked scared and then he realised he had been shouting at one of his closest friends, he released her noting guiltily the marks on her arms that she rubbed.

"Ino...Im sorry..."

"Just leave me alone NARA" she said tearfully and ran away

Shikamaru looked at chouji "I..."

Chouji looked horrified "Shikka, she just called you NARA"

Shikamaru nodded feeling hurt "Ouch" he murmured

"Wonder if thats how she feels when you treat her bad" Chouji said carefully

"I should make it up to her" Shikamaru said with feeling

Chouji snorted "you ALWAYS say that" there was a silence "Question is Shikka, when are you gonna actually do it?" and then he left Shikamaru to his thoughts.

"I need to look at some clouds" he muttered to himself realising he had been ditched.

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Out of habit he snuck to the clearing masking his presence and using all his knowlage.

He heard faintly sobs coming from the clearing and jumped into a nearby tree.

He frowned guiltily when he realised it was Ino sitting there crying, her hair was down and her body wracked with each sob. Shikamaru clenched his jaw _I wonder if thats how she feels every time you treat her bad _ Choujis words came unbidden to his mind _you always say that_

He jumped down and sat beside her, "Hey Ino" he said carefully

She sniffed and looked away "Hey"

"Ino, I am sorry" She didnt respond or look at him, but tears still dripped onto the grass.

Shikamaru gently grabbed her chin and forced her to look at him "Ino, listen...you are my best and oldest female friend, I would never hurt you intentionally and if i hurt you by accident I dont mean it"

Fresh tears came to Ino's eyes as she pushed him away "Then why does it hurt so much!" she sobbed

"Hey" he said confused , she continued to push him away, she he grabbed her, holding her close to him "Hey" he said softly "Ino, what have i done to hurt you?"

"I cant" she began sobbing into his shirt

"Yes you can,"

"I cant because I dont know Shikka, I dont know!"

"Ino calm down" he pulled out a handkerchief and wiped her face with it "Come watch the clouds, it might help"

"hai" she said quietly

So they lay there until ino's tears stopped and all was silent, till dusk allowed the strongest stars to come out, until they heard someone shouting Ino in the village.

"I have to go" she said standing up

"Ino" he said causing her to pause "Friends?"

She gave him a strange smile "always" she looked away "Tsunade-Sama offered me a mission, its B class"

Shikamaru sat up "You got a B class?"

"Hai, its only collecting data on some of the plants in the forest, but some of them are deadly and I'm the most qualified...i'll probably be gone a month or two...so i'll see you"

"Wait!" he stood quickly "When do you go?"

"Tomorrow"

"I'll walk you home"

Ino laughed "YOU offering to do something?"

"heh, cant be letting a woman walk home alone" he replied bracing himself for the hit, she only hit him lightly and then hooked arms whilst they walked home.

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Three weeks later

It was one in the morning as Shikamaru growled in frustraiton. The diary was still causing him problems, he just couldnt work out who it belonged to. he threw it down causing a small pile of letters to fall on the floor. With a small curse he picked them up. Ino had been writing to him, letting him know any new discoveries, how she was doing and suchlike. He looked forward to them.

He opened the last one. One of the plants she had been trying to grow in a container had died, he sighed "My faviourite plant died today" suddenly he looked more closely at the page.

"No way" he grabbed the diary and turned it to the day the girls grandmother had died the way she wrote the words were the same as Ino's, he picked up more letters and compared them. "NO WAY!" he almost screamed

"Shikamaru, Keep it down!" came the sleepily angry voice of his mother

Shikamaru didnt hear, he was beside himself in rage. "I am such an IDIOT!"

His father entered the room "What's all this noise? why are you still up Shikamaru?"

He turned angry eeys to his father "Ino's in love with me!"

Shikatou gaped at his genious son, sat surrounded by papers and finally managed to gasp out "YOU DIDN'T KNOW!?"

"YOU KNEW!?" Shikamaru yelled back

"I THOUGHT YOU DID!"

"WILL YOU TWO SHUT UP!" Shikkas mother entered the room scowling

"He" Shikatou pointed at Shikamaru "JUST realised Ino is in love with him"

She began to chuckle

"Its not funny Mother"

"Oh it is" she choked

His father sat beside her on the bed rubbing her back "Do you.." he began then changed his tactics "How do you feel about her?"

"I need water" his mother cried running from the room

Shikamaru looked at his father horror stricken "I dont..." then his brain kicked in _or do you _

"Shikka?"

"I never really thought about it...I didnt realise...some genious..."

His father laughed "It took me falling off a cliff to find out how much your mother cared"

Shikamaru thought on it a moment then looked outside, it was a clear night. Quickly he began to fold up all the papers and the diary and slipped them into a bag. "I'm going out father" he stated

"Hai"

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The ground was soft wand warm on the hillock, the stars and moon shone brightly with the occassional cloud drifting across it. A perfect night.

He was re-reading her last letter "all the other ninjas are older than me, the youngest is 31! they treat me like a child not realising I have alot of plant skill...Im bored and lonely, wish i was back there"

He sighed realising how stupid he was. _But do I love her? _ He wracked his brains till morning, thats moment when the sun was rising reminded him of a time he and Ino had lain here on the Hillock, the thought of how she had cried because of him made his chest tighten, and the memory of her laughing caused it to loosen again. He suddenly smiled, _I do love her...but i need to know if she still feels the same_ he poked the diary, it was from earlier in the year after all.

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Tsunade looked at him, taking in his haggered tired appearence and the face he hadnt shaved. "Whatsup Shikamaru?" she asked wishing she had some Sake

"I'd like to visit the plant expedition"

Tsunade raised her eyebrow "Pardon?"

"I wish to visit the plant expedition"

she shut her eyes "Shikamaru, unless you're about to tell me you've suddenly developed a love of plants and 5 years experience give me a reason i should let you go"

He bit his lip and then decided honesty was the best way forward "I just realised Ino loves me and that I love Ino and I'd like to, Need to tell her"

Tsunade raised her eyebrow "You ONLY JUST WORKED IT OUT?"

**anime style fall** "Does everyone know apart from me?" he asked irritated

"Well, and Ino" Tsunade said trying not to laugh at the mans distraught expression "You may go" she said cutting off his reply.

"Thank you" with that he was gone

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Shikamaru dropped into the center of the camp the expedition had set up. He realised that none of the company were ninjas, they sat around the fire and looked at him. _jeeze they're lax, I coulda killed them._ "Hello" one old woman said

"Greetings"

"Can we help you?"

"I'm here to see Ino"

"Ino?" one of the men turned to the others

"The new girl" one woman hissed

Shikamaru didnt like her tone "Her name is INO" he said scathingly

"Whatever, the new girl is digging latrine trenches"

"it wasnt her turn" a man muttered before shutting up under the glare of the woman

"Shes new, newbies have to do what we tell them"

Shikamaru almost growled but instead came up witha scathing insult "That 'newbie' is a fully trained Ninja, she had been a botanist since she was six" he glared at the group "Can any of you say the same?"

No one answered staring at him in shock

"Where is she, I have an important message from Tsunade-sama for her" one of the men pointed and he began to walk away, he suddenly turned "By the way, shape up security wise, I could have easily killed you all" they turned white and he silently laughed

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She was as the woman said digging latrines and looked as if she had been doing it for a while. she gave a grunt as she threw the last shovelful of earth from the pit and climbed out. A hand reached down for her to grip.

"Huh?" she asked looking up "Shikamaru?"

"yep" he replied pulling her out

She hastily wiped her face and hands "What brings you here?"

He was silent

"Shikka?" she waved a hand in front of his face "Why are you staring?"

"You're not wearing makeup"

"Well...I wasnt expecting anybody i wanted to impress" she said blushing

"You never needed to impress me" Shikamaru said

She looked like a deer caught in headlights "uh?"

He brought out the diary and handed it back to her "This is yours isnt it"

She blinked back tears "Hai...Shikka...please dont hate me" she said looking at him pleadingly

"Hey" he said wiping away her tears with the pad of his thumb, he leant forward and kissed her "never"

"..." she said staring at him in amazement

"So,,," he began "what about it? Two kids, a boy and a girl...oof!" she elbowed him in the stomache

"Dont assume Nara Shikamaru, you'll make an Ass out of yoU and ME" she laughed running back towards came

"Troublesome" he replied grinning

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What do you think? the idea just came to me and I had to write it down


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